Philanthropic Operations & Engagement Officer

Job Description

Job Title:    Philanthropic Operations & Engagement Officer

Department:  Development

Reports To:  Director of Philanthropy

Classification: Regular Full-Time

FLSA Status: Salary Exempt

Work Location:  Colchester, Vermont

Cellular Phone Reimbursement Eligible: Yes

Prepared Date: June 2026

Summary 

Reporting to the Director of Philanthropy, the Philanthropic Operations & Engagement Officer manages a high-volume portfolio of approximately 500–700 leadership annual giving, low-touch, and emerging philanthropic donors and prospects including solicitations.  Occasional travel throughout Vermont and surrounding regions is required.  The role is the conduit between membership, mid-level and major giving programs. 

Working collaboratively with the philanthropy and membership teams, this position supports donor engagement, stewardship, prospect identification, and operations that help move donors through the giving pipeline. The Philanthropic Operations & Engagement Officer uses donor data and CRM systems to identify opportunities for deeper engagement and increased philanthropic support while ensuring an excellent donor experience. They will assist the team with administrative duties ensuring efficient operations.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities 

Donor Portfolio Management & Engagement (40%)

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 500–700 low-touch, leadership annual giving, and emerging philanthropic donors and prospects.

• Build and maintain relationships through calls, emails, mailings, events, virtual meetings, and occasional in-person visits.

• Conduct renewal, upgrade, and campaign solicitations to strengthen donor retention and increase giving.

• Prioritize donor outreach based on donor interests, engagement history, and fundraising goals.

Pipeline Development, Research & Donor Strategy (25%)

• Identify, qualify, and advance prospective donors, members, and existing mid-level donors into the philanthropy program.
• Use donor data, CRM tools, and research to identify opportunities for increased engagement and giving.
• Analyze donor activity and giving patterns to assess readiness for deeper philanthropic involvement.
• Serve as a liaison between membership and philanthropy by helping move donors through the giving pipeline.
• Conduct confidential donor and prospect research and make recommendations on donor segmentation, portfolio assignments, and engagement strategies.

Advancement Operations & Donor Stewardship (25%)

• Process donor renewals, gift acknowledgments, 
• Maintain accurate donor records, activity notes, and reporting in the CRM system.
• Ensure donors are assigned to the appropriate relationship manager.
• Manage the philanthropy inbox and direct donor inquiries to the appropriate staff member.
• Support donor recognition activities and administrative processes that contribute to effective fundraising operations.

Event Support & Collaboration (10%)

• Support donor cultivation, stewardship, and fundraising events.
• Collaborate with membership, philanthropy, and sponsorship teams on fundraising and donor engagement efforts.
• Participate in departmental meetings, planning activities, and cross-functional projects.
• Other duties as assigned; perform additional responsibilities and special projects that support organizational and development priorities.

EXCELLENCE IN THIS ORGANIZATION 

• A high level of commitment and dedication to the mission of the organization and public media.

• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with co-workers and audience, supporting and enhancing a culture of belonging.

• Preserving confidentiality appropriately.

• Serving as an excellent ambassador for the organization, both formally and informally. Helping audience and potential audience members, donors, and potential donors connect with the organization.

• Facilitating excellent communications across departments, among employees, and with the public. Fostering open and candid relationships with Vermont Public audience and donors. Managing conflict constructively.

• Demonstrating a commitment to the continuous improvement of the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission and vision. 

• Demonstrating and encouraging creativity and enthusiasm for this work.

• Expressing consistent, high-performance expectations for themselves, their department, the leadership, and the organization itself.

• Developing a broad understanding of the organization’s departments, programs, and services to assist donors, collaborate effectively with peers, ensure respectful communication and teamwork among departments.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Position Requirements

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience is preferred.

• Three (3) or more years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, membership, advancement services, prospect research, or nonprofit development.  

• Experience managing donor relationships, donor portfolios, or engagement activities.  

• Experience using CRM systems and donor management software such as Revolution On Line (ROI)  is preferred. 

• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a collaborative team environment.

• Must hold a valid driver’s license to drive to various work sites; Ability to occasional travel throughout Vermont and surrounding regions is required.

Working Conditions

Work is normally performed in a climate-controlled office environment with moderate noise levels (computers, telephones, etc.).  No known environmental hazards are encountered in the normal performance of job duties.

Standard Work Week: Monday - Friday; may include evenings and weekends

Physical Demands

Work involves standing and walking for brief periods, bending, and filing, but most duties are from a seated position. There is potential for eyestrain from reading detailed materials on a computer screen. Deadlines, workloads during peak periods, and changing priorities may cause increased stress levels. Work requires finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination to operate computer keyboards at a moderate skill level. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Please note: This is not an all-encompassing statement of this position’s responsibilities. While it attempts to be comprehensive, new responsibilities may be assigned to this position at any time.

Vermont Public is a proud equal-opportunity employer. We work diligently to recruit a broad pool of candidates and to hire and promote qualified individuals whose personal experiences, characteristics, and talents reasonably reflect the diversity of the communities served by Vermont Public. Our equal employment opportunities apply to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. We encourage applications from women, minority groups, veterans, and people with disabilities.